BERKELEY — Sonny Dykes decided it was time he showed his beleaguered Cal defense he believes in them.

So with Utah driving toward a possible game-winning touchdown and the clock running down, Dykes probably surprised most of the Memorial Stadium crowd of 46,618 when he decided against using his timeouts to save time for his offense.

“Conventional wisdom tells you to use your timeouts,” Dykes said.

Conventional wisdom doesn’t factor in a Cal defense that has ranked among the nation’s worst this season, but calling timeouts Saturday would have sent a mixed message.

“Obviously as an offensive guy, I would have enjoyed if Coach Dykes had called a timeout,” quarterback Davis Webb said. “But he told us on the sidelines, `The defense is going to stop them.’ They proved him right.”

“You’ve got to show your players that you trust them,” said Dykes, who conferred throughout the drive with defensive coordinator Art Kaufman and reasoned that the methodical Utes might press if faced with dwindling time on the clock.

To his players, Dykes said, “Hey look, I believe I you guys. Go make a play. Let’s figure out how to win this thing.”

The Bears stopped Utah six times inside the 10-yard line, including defensive tackle James Looney’s game-clinching tackle of Zack Moss for no gain at the 1-yard line, and Cal (3-2, 1-1 Pac-12) had more than a 28-23 victory over the nation’s No. 18 team.

“They just put it on us and we’re glad we didn’t let ‘em down,” safety Khari Vanderbilt said. “Going forward we just want to keep this intensity up.”

Senior offensive tackle Steven Moore said he was more nervous standing on the sidelines during Utah’s final drive than he could remember.

In the locker room afterward, Dykes saluted the defense for its clutch stand.

“The offense instantly gave them a round of applause,” Moore said. “We know those guys get criticism. For them to do what they know how to do makes me proud of them and happy for our team. It brings us all together even closer.”

• The Bears insist there will be no hangover Saturday at Oregon State (1-3, 0-1) after the Utah win.

“We’re determined to play back-to-back weeks. We haven’t done that this year,” said Webb, referring to the Bears’ pattern so far of alternating wins and losses. “That’s a huge goal to have especially because we’re playing on the road. We have a lot to prove.”

Cal is 0-2 in true road games this fall, and is just 3-12 in Pac-12 road games under Dykes since the start of 2013.

Moore said the Bears were disappointed by their approach in a loss at Arizona State two weeks ago. “We were flat,” he said. “We went into the locker room tried to get energy. I don’t think it worked. We’re not going to let that happen at Oregon State.”

• Sophomore safety Evan Rambo, who started the first three games, has a torn ACL, will require surgery and is done for the season, Dykes said. Converted quarterback Luke Rubenzer has replaced Rambo in the starting lineup the past two games.

Meanwhile, running backs Khalfani Muhammad and cornerback Darius Allensworth, who missed the Utah game with leg injuries, both should play at Oregon State. The status of reserve defensive tackle Luc Bequette (knee) is uncertain.

• Oregon State coach Gary Andersen confirmed that junior quarterback Darell Garretson will start Saturday. Garretson has been lifted in the second half of the Beavers’ past two games for freshman walk-on Conor Blount because of ineffectiveness and a nagging foot injury, but he will retain his starting job.

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